Typical to the genre, characters exhibit a stiff and almost lifeless, disjointed kind of animation. It's the one that portrays people running endlessly into walls and moving as if they were preprogrammed puppets, which they are. The in-game cutscenes are a bit more fluid though, since they are done the way the designers wanted them to be. As an interesting note, the nearly perfect CG of the Xbox version has been compressed significantly and now looks noticeably more like video than real-time magnificence.

The monsters are extremely original and do an excellent job continuing the creepiness. Most of the early enemies looked like shiny haunted mannequins with anatomically incorrect physiques. Take a look for yourself and see what they remind you of. More often than not, it's their appearance that creeps you out, not their random flailing animations, but that's the way things are in Silent Hill.

One of the key additions to the Xbox version, and again to this one, is the option to turn off the grainy Noise Filter implemented in the PS2 game that almost made the whole thing look like a WWII newsreel. If you do turn the filter off, you'll be able to appreciate all of the visual elements that much more, plus it's a great way to feel like you're getting something the PS2 gamers missed, since their hardware is so sorely lacking.

Keyboard play is possible, but not advised. This game is meant to be romped with a solid controller. The Firestorm from Thrustmaster, or any PS2 adapter works wonders and comes with the highest recommendation.

Eternal Darkness has this beat hands down when it comes to combat. Even though I wanted more from that game in this regard, I'd settle for its melee and ballistic system over this one any day of the week. At least SH2 comes with the thoughtful inclusion of directional and pivot control. Directional is good for normal navigation (hitting a direction moves the character in that direction), while the pivoting mode is good for combat, where backing up can sometimes be a bit essential. The latter is more akin to Resident Evil, while the former is more akin to Eternal Darkness.

More key bindings means less need to move in and out of intermediary screens. Still, the lack of a mini map is an egregious offense that requires someone get a serious beating. There's nothing I hate more than having to constantly pause the action to open up my map just so I can see which damn direction I'm facing and where the hell I'm supposed to be going. Even if it does come with plenty of helpful writing to indicate passable doors, locked ones, points of interests, impassable barriers, and save zones (even if they are now obsolete thanks to the handy, if somewhat cheapening quick save feature that I'll not debate or really praise), loading in and out of it is an annoyance.

Despite the inherent dilemmas in the control system, what makes Silent Hill 2 so enjoyable is that it frightened me in so many ways, and it also compelled me to "know" the full story. Not once in Resident Evil Code: Veronica was I scared, and the brother and sister bad guys were mere caricatures. In SH2, gamers are constantly being thrown off balance with such a huge array of variables, causing nervousness, anxiousness and pure fear, but it's the characters that remain strangely, uncomfortably real. Each time Maria speaks she becomes creepier and creepier. The whole game is like this, creepy, eerie, and always creating lingering doubts in your mind about your character, and what you believe has happened to you. Internal, psychological fear. Not the fear caused by shocks or jolts, like from dogs crashing through a window. No, Silent Hill 2's fear is a steady, unsettling one, induced by claustrophobia, and unnerving silences occasionally pierced by metallic, harsh sound effects. Finally, no matter how settled you might feel, you still feel so incredibly lost and rudderless, that it's almost uncanny that you're merely playing a videogame.

The Verdict

With Silent Hill 2, Konami has delivered a deep, if confusing and somewhat tiresome adventure that's scary in a disturbing, eerie fashion. Saturated with repulsive imagery and unsettling locales, the game's mechanics show an attempt to improve the genre's general failings, and more importantly don't get in the way of the game or the story itself, but never truly perfect or vastly improve upon the basic design. It's the old, except artistically retooled and still not completely broke.

James' trek into zombie land is not worth grabbing if you've already got the Xbox game, and perhaps only worth checking out if you've only got the PS2 iteration. But, if you're without any version of Silent Hill 2, the visually impressive, albeit aging title is still a delightfully terrifying, if straightforward walk around the block.

6.5PresentationThe interface fares no better than the slow, ugly, and tired menu. Things like the constant need to pause to check out the map hurt. Only intermittent crashes further hamper the whole.

9GraphicsIt lacks a lot of the detail texturing and plush environments we're used to. In fact, some textures and areas are downright ugly. But, the models, interiors, lighting, and shadowing are all superb.

8.5SoundThere's support for mad setups (7.1 even). Startling chills and even pleasant but strangely creepy music are in there. Only horrible, lifeless, unemotional acting mars the aural experience.

7.5GameplayCombat is atrocious. Where is it scrawled out in stone that a scary game played from the third-person must feature the most rudimentary and boring action known to man? Then we fetch stuff.

7.5Lasting AppealA hefty journey and even a shorter sub-scenario played from the perspective of a different character liven things up considerably, but fail to deliver a truly lasting experience.